Baffle tower



n Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,354

C. M. ALEXANDER BAFFLE TOWERv Filed Mays. 1925 v U f/ QE;

. IU l nu /W/ www y l w 7er/00215 aha7 'aaas INVENTOR ATTORN EYS and Patented Dec. 5, 1927. l UNIT-ED STATES ativan. man,

1,551,354 PATENT oFFicE.-

OF TULSA, GKLAHOMA.

BAIFLE TOWER.

Application led Hay 9,

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for eHecting contact, and heat transfer, between gases and vapors and liquids. The improved apparatus of the invention is of special valuev and application in connection with the fractionation of hydrocarbon oils and with the scrubbing of hydrocarbon gas or gas and vapor mixtures with liquid hydrocarbons or other liquid `absorbents.

It is common practice to employ fractionating towers for fractionating hydrocarbon oils, `the oil vapors being passed through the tower and fractionally condensed therein, heavier constituents being condensed and lighter constituents passing through the tower uncondensed. In such, operations, the efiiciency and eifectivenessof lthe' fractionation are dependent, in part at least, upon the intimacy of contact as well as the time of contact between vapor and liquid constituents undergoing fractlonation in the tower. Various proposals have hitherto been made for promoting the intimacyof contact and for prolonging the period of contact; for example, towers have'been packed with tile or filled with irregularly arranged small tubular elements, or equipped with baffles or perforated plates, and bubble plates for causing vapors and gases'to bubble throu h liquid constituents have been employed. imilar considerations apply in the fractionation of other materials, and. similar expedients have been adopted. Likewise, in the absorption 'of vapors and gases in liquids, the efliciency eectiveness of the operation are largely determined -b the intimacy and eriod of contact, an in towers employed or such purposes like means have been used for improving the operation.

This invention relates particularly to iinprovements in apparatus of this general character` for promotingintimacy of contact and for prolonging the period of contact, and the invention provides an improved balile or bubble plate with this object in view. Other objects and advantages of vthe 'nvention will appear as the description proceeds.

The improved baille of the present invention is adapted for use in a generally horizontal position in baffle towers through which vapors or gas constituents passin a generally upward direction and liquid constituents in a generally downward direction,

-accordance with the invention.

1925. Serial No. 29,033.

two or more 0I the improved baliles being p superimposed in the tower. The improved baiie comprises a pair of substantially parallel plates with members forming a plurality of troughs on each plate arranged on and between the plates and in staggered relatlon, the troughs on the lower plate entraining the liquid and the troughs on the upper plate directing the iow of as or vapor through the liquid, thus provi ing a prolonged path between the upper and lower plates forming the baffle through which the vapor and gas and liquid constituents pass, the gas or vapor constituents being compelled to bubble at successive intervals through the liquid constituents in each baille not once but a plurality of times. Multiple contact is thus provided in each baffle.' a

The improved baffle of the invention has severalimportant advantages. The improved construction provides for positivcontact between the asl and vapor and liquid constituents am? prevents channelling or non-uniform flow through towers in which the improvedbale is employed, Intimate contact between gas and vapor and liquid constituents is promoted and the period of contact is prolonged. With multiple ccyntactl between gas and vapor and liquid constituents in each baille the effectiveness of contact per baflle is improved and the number of bailles to be employed may be reduced. Among other advantages, this frequently enables a decrease in the height of the tower it is necessary to use. These advantages are important in either fractionation or absor tionoperations.

The invention will e further described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate in a diagrammatic and conventional manner apparatus embodying the invention and adapted for operation in It is intended and ywill be understood" that this illustration and the further more detailed description are-for the purpose of exemplification -and the invention is not limited thereto. The drawings illustrate a section of a tower with part of the tower wall removed exposing three lbaiiles constructed in accordance with the invention, one of the baffles being shown in section.

Referring to 'the drawings, three ballies are lshown arranged within the tower shell 1, each of these battles comprising an upper plate 2 and a lower plate 3. Arranged on the lower plate are a series of members 4 in the form of concentric rings projecting upwardly toward but not reaching the upper plate and forming a plurality of ring shaped troughs on the lower plate. Ai'- ranged on the upper plate are a corresponding series of members 5 in the form oi' concentric rings projecting toward but not reachin the lower plate and forming a plurality o inverted troughs on the upper plate. The trough members 5 on the upper plate are positioned between the corresponding trough members on the lower plate and extend to a point between the upper edges of the adjacent trough members on the lower point. The menibers 5 may be provided with a series of distributing apertures 6 arran ed below the levelof the upper edges of t e members 4 on the lower plate. Liquid connections 7 are provided for discharging liquid from the space outside the outer member 4 to lower bailles and the vapors from lower bailles enter higher bailles through the passage 8. In the form of baille illustrated,V

a central trap is shown for compelling both liquid supplied to the baille through connection 7 and vapors supplied to the baille through passage 8 to pass through the baille between the baille plates. This trap coinprises a Well 9 extending through the upper plate .to and depending into a receptacle 10, a liquid connection 11` connected to the liquid connections 7, extending into this well. A discharge member 12 is arranged about the upper end of the receptacle 10 for discharging liquid therefrom and distributing it into the iirst trough formed by the inner member 4 on the lower plate.

In operation, liquid constituents collect in the trough between the members 4 on the lower plate to a level determined by the `height of the top ed es of the members .4. As liquid is sup lie to the inner trough it gradually over ows into the successive troughs toward the outer edge of the baille and iinally escapes through connection 7 to a lower baille. Vapors and gases entering through the passage 8 iirst contact with the liquid sprayed -therethrough by the discharge and distributing means 12 and are then compelled to pass through the liquid in each of the successive troughs oii the lower plate under the members 5 on the upper plate. The distribution of the vapors and gases passing between the plates of the baille may be promoted bv providing distributing apertures in the depending trough members 5 as illustrated at 6. Intimate contact between gas and va or and liquid constituents is thus promoted andthe contact is repeated a number of times in each baille. In the construction shown the contacting is repeated three times, but it will be apparent that a greater or lesser number of tratcd and particularly described is also ai'- ranged foi' flow of gases and vapors and liquid outwardly from the center of the baille. The baille may also be arranged for flowing the gases and vapors and liquid in the opposite direction.

For either fractionation or absorption operations, a sei'ies of these bailles are super- The liquid collecting in theimposedin a tower, the liquid connection 11 on the higher bailles being extended into the well 9 on lower baiHes as shown. For absorption, the gas or gas and vapor mixture is sup lied to the lower end of the tower and the a sorbing menstruumis supplied to the upper endof the tower, the gas mixture passing through the tower in a direction generally countercurrent to the absorbent. While the general direction of ilow is countercuri'ent, it will be noted that in each baille the flow is concurrent. For fractionation, vapors and gases may similarly be supplied to the lower end of the tower and liquids may be supplied to the upper end of the tower, or where the tower is emloyed asa reflux tower with external cooling the liquid flowing downwardly through the tower may be the condensate produced from the vapors and gases therein.

I claim:

1. A bubble cap baille for gas and liquid contact. apparatus, comprising stationary upper and lower plates in substantially parallel relation, members on the lower plate projecting toward but not reaching-the u per late and forming a plurality of troug s on t e lower plate, members on the u plate projecting toward but not reac in the lower plate and ormingla plurality o inverted troughs on the upper plate, the said members on the upper plate being arran between the. said members on the lower p ate and extending to a point below the upper edges of the adjacent trough members on the lower plate, means for supplying gaseous iluids to a trough on the upper plate and means for supplying liquid to a trough onthe lower plate. 4'

2. A bubble cap baille for gas and liquid contact apparatus, comprising a pair of substantially parallel stationary circular plates,

Per

members in the form of concentric rings on the lower plate of the pair projecting toward but not reaching the upper plate, members in the form of concentric rings on the upper plate of the pair projecting toward but not reaching the lower plate, the said members on the upper plate being arranged between the said members on the lower` plate and extending to a point below the upper edges of the adjacent members on the lower plate, means forl supplying gaseous fluids to the space within the inner ring member on the upper plate and means forr supplying liquid to the trough on the lower plate into which the said inner ring member on the upper plate depends.

3. A bubble cap baille for gas and liquid Contact apparatus, comprising stationary upper and lower plates in substantially parallel relation, members on the lower plate projecting toward but not reaching the upper plate and forming a plurality of troughs on the lower plate, members on the upper plate projecting toward butnot reaching the lower plate and forming a plurality of in' verted troughs on the upper plate, the said members on the upper plate being arranged between the said members on the lower plate,

and extending to y,a point below the upper edges of adjacent trough members on the lower plate, means for supplyingl gaseous fluids to a trough on the upperl plate, and means for supplying liquid to a trough on .the lower plate, said means including a trap for preventing the escape of gaseous fluids therethrough. l,

4. A bubble cap baille for gas and liquid contact apparatus, comprising stationary the lower plate, a central well extending l through the upper plate and depending into a receptacle on the lower plate, said receptacle being adapted to discharge from its upper end into the inner trough on the lower plate, means for supplying liquid to said well, and means for supplying gaseous fluids to the inner trough on the upper plate.

5. A baille for gas and liquid contact apparatus comprising means for retaining a plurality of bodies of liquid thereon and means for flowing liquid successively through said bodies, and means for causing gaseous fluids to bubble successively through each of the plurality of liquid bodies on the baille in the. direction of liquid flow.

i 6. A bubble cap tower comprising a series of vertically arranged lpairs of stationary baflles, means for causing gaseous fluids to pass upwardly and for permitting liquid fluids to pass downwardly therethrough, and means for causing gaseous fluids to bubble successively through a plurality of liquid seals between alternate baffles.

In'testimony whereof I aflx my signature.

CLIVE M. ALEXANDER. 

